Flynt Leverett

Pennsylvania State University

Flynt Leverett is a professor at Penn State University School of International Affairs. He was formerly senior fellow and director of the Geopolitics of Energy Initiative of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation.

From 1992 to 2003, Leverett worked for the U.S. government, serving as senior director for Middle East Affairs at the National Security Council, Middle East expert on the secretary of state's policy planning staff, and senior analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. He is a consultant to the World Economic Forum's ""Gulf Cooperation Council and the World 2025"" scenarios project and to the Club of Madrid on global energy issues. He is a peer reviewer for the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook.

Among his many publications are Dealing with Tehran: Assessing U.S. Diplomatic Options toward Iran (2006) and Inheriting Syria: Bashar's Trial by Fire (2005). Along with his wife, STRATEGA CEO Hillary Mann Leverett, he is the co-author of Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Featured Work

JAN 30, 2013 Podcast

Going to Tehran: Prospects for U.S.-Iranian Engagement

Americans' view of Iran as an illegitimate system in imminent danger of overthrow is wrongheaded, wishful thinking, say the Leveretts. The U.S. needs to ...

JUL 11, 2008 Podcast

The Rise of the Rest II: How the Ascent of Russia and China Affects Global Business and Security

From economic growth to cultural exports, the global distribution of power is shifting from "the West" to the rest of the world. This panel addresses ...